Emerald Eyes and Golden Leaves
by Muses' Advocate
Summary: Diamond, a young working-class; Peregrin, a young heir to the Thain. When both take a walk to clear their heads ona deceptively beautiful morning, the laughter of the Valar shake them out of a reverie known as reality and into each other's arms. One-sho


Diamond was awake when the sun came up. In fact, she had been awake almost all night, thanks to a dream she'd had in the dark hours. Not that it was an unpleasant dream; in fact, just thinking about it gave her a tiny shiver down her spine. Her spine had been awfully shivery these last few hours...  
  
But the dream confused her. Goodie Heathertoes might have told her it was prophetic, while old widow Greenhand would have told her it was symbolic. Symbolic of what, though? And how could it be prophetic if she couldn(t even see the faces? Diamond tried desperately not to think of it. Just a trick of the mind, she thought, looking longingly out her window to the green hills beyond, their vibrant hue deepened and shimmering in the light of the rising sun. Just a silly young girl(s fancy. I(m too young to be thinking such thoughts, anyway.  
  
She repeated this to herself as she went through her morning ritual- brush and plait her hair, get dressed, wash her face and hands...Just a fancy. Just a silly young girl(s fancy.  
  
Diamond tried to redirect her thoughts while she ate, and decided after breakfast she should visit the Mallorn tree. It was awfully beautiful this time of year, the first of the golden buds beginning to show and the ground underneath all carpeted with soft, broad golden leaves. She could go do the shopping afterwards- her mother had mentioned they were nearly out of eggs, after all.  
  
The minute she stepped out, she wasn(t sure just how wise her decision had been. The golden sunlight that had been so eager to greet her this morning seemed to have retired already. The sky was filled with looming dark clouds; rain was seemingly inevitable. That was alright, though. 'I always liked rain,' she informed a small shrub. 'Cleanses the body and the spirit, too. Besides, you look like you could use a drink.' The bush made no response. Diamond tightened her shawl about her shoulders and kept a steady pace towards the direction of the great tree. She was not halfway there before the clouds upheld their promise.  
  
She sighed but kept walking. It was a half an hour walk usually, but it would be another half hour before she got there. Then again, her home was thirty minutes away as well, and she didn(t want to waste her afternoon of freedom.  
  
Diamond ended making up a small story about a rabbit and a fox to keep herself occupied. Stories were nice things; she loved hearing them as a child, and her younger cousins were more than willing to listen to the ones she created on her own. Just as the rabbit was about to be devoured by the fox, she came to the party fields. There stood the Mallorn in all it's majesty, the mosaic of tiny flowers luminous through the grey drizzle. She sighed happily and ran towards it as the rain deepened. She didn't notice the small branch in her path. She tripped over it and, before she had time to think, or cry out, she hit the ground and all went black.  
  
Pippin was awakened sometime around mid-morning by the force of a small object landing on top of him. He groaned and peered out from under the covers. His limited view showed him only the door, which he had carefully at tightly closed last night, to be slightly open. He rolled over and sat up, meeting the gaze of Elanor Gamgee, who was grinning wildly. 'Come on, nuncle Pip!' she cried, pulling excitedly at his hand. 'Dad made bre'fiss! He say if anybody can eat what he cooks, it's you.' She was suddenly serious. 'Dad says you can eat anyfink, nuncle Pip. 'Zat true?' Her wide blue eyes were watching his face intently. He cocked an eyebrow at her and said, 'Well, do you think it(s true?' She nodded solemnly. 'In that case, I certainly can't let you down!' She grinned again and tugged on his hand. 'Let's go before little Frodo eats it all!' she giggled. With that she jumped off the bed and ran out his door and back towards the dining room.  
  
Pippin smiled as he dressed. Elanor was certainly nothing like the shy, clumsy Sam he had grown up with. Then again, Sam was a different person since he had settled down, and had children, and gotten married. Pippin sighed. The matter of marriage pressed ever more heavily on him as his father's health diminished and the title of Thain loomed ever closer. He would love to settle down, start a family of his own, but his search for a suitable life companion had yet been fruitless. A walk, he thought, that'll do me some good.  
  
After a breakfast- a good meal, declared so even by the cook- Pippin left Bag End. His intent was to reach the Mallorn in the old party field by mid- day, but even as the door closed behind him, it was already raining. He merely sighed, a small sound, lost in the gentle patter of the rain, and trudged on. From here he could already see the regal tree, golden leaves shining through the shower. The path was wet, but Pippin(s tread was sure and steady, and he reached his destination quickly- but not before noticing a small figure sprawled near the trunk.  
  
When Diamond came to, she found herself looking into a stranger's face. A stranger with nice eyes, she couldn't help noticing, and a halo of gold around his head. She squeezed her eyes shut, but when she opened them, she saw the same thing. It took her a moment to realize the gold was the Mallorn, she was soaking wet, and the stranger was trying to say something. She blushed deeply and cast her eyes down. 'I-I'm sorry, what? I can(t hear you over the rain.' The face relaxed visibly.  
  
'I said, are you alright?' Pippin replied. The girl looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn(t place her face. She(d been out for a few long moments there and he was afraid she wasn(t going to wake up. She glanced at his face briefly and nodded. 'Yes, fine, thank you. I must have slipped. Sorry to trouble you, mister...?' he caught the question in her tone and smiled. 'Peregrin,' he said, pushing a lock of wet hair of his face and extending his hand. 'Or Pippin, if you like. Pippin Took.'  
  
She smiled back, despite the fact she was burning with embarrassment. Here she was, blacked out under the party tree, in the rain, and saved by the future Thain of the Shire. It sounded like a plot from one of her stories. 'Diamond North-took of Long Cleeve.' she said simply, taking his offered hand and shaking it.  
  
So that(s where he'd seen her. She was a Took...well, a North-took, but a Took nonetheless. He must have seen her on a trip to Long Cleeve with his father. Pippin noticed she was shivering and, without thinking, handed her his jacket.  
  
She looked at him for a moment, then accepted it. 'Thank you,' she said quietly, and pulled it around her shoulders. Her teeth didn(t chatter so badly now, she noticed. Oh, but her head hurt! Perhaps it was her fall, perhaps it was her dream that morning, but something was making her feel incredibly odd. A little giddy, mayhap, or just a bit foolish, she didn(t rightly know. Meeting Pippin just added to that feeling. His voice called her back from her thoughts. 'So, I guess we(re stuck here, eh?' he said, playing with a broad golden leaf from the ground. Diamond sighed a little and looked out at the rain. It had not lessened; in fact, it appeared to be falling harder now. 'Suppose so,( she answered, thinking wistfully of the golden morning that now seemed so far off. She pulled his coat a little tighter around her shoulders and looked at Pippin. He appeared completely at ease, his back resting against the tree trunk, hands clasped behind his head, legs crossed student-style on the ground, looking out at the steadily falling droplets. She smiled a little; he looked more like a child than a Thain.  
  
'How did you happen to be here today, as well?' she asked him. He turned his head towards her. 'Same reason as you, most likely,' he answered, 'just wanted to see the Mallorn on a beautiful spring morning.' His nose wrinkled slightly. 'Guess that didn't turn out too well. What about yourself?'  
  
'Just as you said. It(s lovely this time of year.' she said, gesturing towards the golden canopy of the great tree. He smiled and she noted they way his eyes sparkled. Stop it! Diamond scolded herself silently. You're not doing anyone any good by making cow eyes at someone far out of your league! She returned the smile, though somewhat halfheartedly. The sky picked that precise moment to let out a particularly large, booming peal of thunder, and, without realizing what she was doing, Diamond gave a little cry of dismay and fell against Pippin.  
  
A moment passed, and time seemed to slow. She remembered that moment so clearly, so vividly, and yet it still seemed more like a dream than reality. She felt where her shoulder leaned against his forearm, remembered the blood pounding in her ears, a blush climbing steadily up her neck and onto her face. She remembered Pippin gasping a little at the sudden contact, then laughing like a child; she had gasped, but not laughed.  
  
She pushed herself away immediately and murmured apologies. He smiled warmly at her. 'You know it's only Illuvatar laughing... apparently the Powers like seeing unfortunately sodden Hobbits.' He shook a finger at the soaked golden canopy, a look of mock-scorn upon his face. Diamond couldn't help but laugh. Pippin turned to her, laughter in his eyes and a smile curving up the corners of his mouth. Her heart stirred, and Diamond wondered vaguely if this was what it felt like to fall in love. 


End file.
